Best New Band, Formed In Last 12 Months

Project Bluebird

Staff Pick

A mix n match collab featuring Brent Bagwell (reeds) and Ben Kennedy (cello,violin), both formerly of Pyramid, bass badass Ron Brendle, Carrie Shull of pulsoptional (oboe) and reed madman and sometime Raleigh native Crowmeat Bob, Project Bluebirds shows are a study in deconstruction. The group work out their music both in rehearsals and via the World Wide Web: With the
latter, charts of pieces are sent to each member via e-mail, with marks notating where improvisation is to occur. Each member then composes his or her own pieces, lending  once they come together again like Voltron  the finished product a free-floating (theres no drummer to act as anchor) vibe thats variously exultant, or gloriously exhausted, but never exhausting. Queen City folk rarely consider that a jazz band could be the most indie thing we have going, but guess what?